Future Rookies: White Sox No Longer

Last week it was Chris Tillman, and this week Brian Matusz makes the leap to the majors. Check here for some solid discussion on the rookie. Also making a jump is Desmond Jennings, although he’s merely moving up a minor-league level and joining the Rays’ Triple-A team. Carlos Santana is working on an 11-game hitting streak. Jason Heyward hasn’t slowed down a bit in Double-A. And for some sad news, Jesus Montero will miss the rest of the season with a fractured finger. He attained the injury while catching, and since most don’t see him behind the plate in the majors, this might be the straw that breaks the Yankees into moving him to 1B/DH full-time. So who should we add to the Future Rookies class this week? How about a couple players formerly in the White Sox organization?

Featured Add – Hitter

Brandon Allen, 1B, Ari, Age 23, Triple-A

AB

R

HR

RBI

SB

BB

K

AVG

OBP

SLG

OPS

2009 AA

241

39

7

35

1

30

47

.290

.372

.452

.825

2009 AAA ChA

61

6

1

8

0

0

13

.262

.262

.377

.639

2009 AAA ARI

83

17

9

19

4

11

12

.361

.442

.759

1.201

Last 10

43

6

2

3

1

2

7

.326

Talk about responding to a change of scenery. After the 23-year-old Allen held his own in his second Double-A stint early in the season, he struggled when called up to the International League. When the White Sox wanted to deal for Diamondbacks reliever Tony Pena, Allen was the bait. Since coming into the Arizona organization, Allen has been on fire, with an OPS of about 1.200. He’s done much better with his plate patience, drawing double-digit walks already after not walking once in 61 ABs at Charlotte. He’s got the body to be a HR hitter in the majors, which will play well in Arizona. With the Diamondbacks not getting much production from 1B this season, Allen could be making his big-league debut very soon.

Hitter Performance Review (as of 8/3/09)

AB

R

HR

RBI

SB

BB

K

AVG

OBP

SLG

OPS

Matt LaPorta

AAA

295

55

13

49

1

32

50

.295

.374

.515

.889

Last 10

AAA

37

3

1

2

1

4

7

.162

Justin Smoak

AAA

107

13

3

15

0

14

25

.224

.315

.355

.670

Last 10

AAA

37

6

2

8

0

5

7

.351

Brett Wallace

AAA

260

29

7

25

0

19

50

.292

.341

.427

.768

Last 10

AAA

38

7

1

6

0

4

8

.289

Michael Taylor

AAA

65

10

3

11

2

11

15

.262

.367

.462

.829

Last 10

AAA

34

3

1

7

0

6

7

.235

Alcides Escobar

AAA

398

70

3

31

37

27

60

.302

.351

.412

.763

Last 10

AAA

37

6

0

2

4

1

2

.351

Buster Posey

AAA

58

10

0

5

0

9

10

.241

.338

.328

.666

Last 10

AAA

32

6

0

1

0

7

5

.281

Desmond Jennings

AA

383

69

8

45

37

48

52

.316

.395

.486

.881

Last 3

AAA

11

1

0

0

2

2

3

.182

Mat Gamel

AAA

162

27

8

34

0

27

55

.278

.378

.512

.890

Last 10

AAA

33

2

0

3

0

5

16

.121

Kila Ka’aihue

AAA

338

64

14

42

0

82

72

.257

.401

.462

.862

Last 10

AAA

31

7

1

2

0

11

4

.226

Gaby Sanchez

AAA

238

39

10

40

5

30

38

.282

.364

.445

.809

Last 3

AAA

6

2

1

1

0

7

1

.167

Mike Carp

AAA

309

55

11

42

0

51

70

.269

.381

.447

.827

Last 10

AAA

34

6

1

3

0

4

8

.235

AB

R

HR

RBI

SB

BB

K

AVG

OBP

SLG

OPS

Jason Heyward

AA

86

19

4

21

1

15

10

.419

.500

.733

1.233

Last 10

AA

33

9

3

11

1

7

6

.455

Pedro Alvarez

AA

121

22

7

21

0

15

35

.298

.370

.545

.915

Last 10

AA

31

6

2

6

0

10

5

.323

Carlos Santana

AA

323

69

19

77

0

66

61

.282

.401

.533

.934

Last 10

AA

37

9

4

14

0

3

6

.432

Jesus Montero

AA

167

19

9

33

0

14

21

.317

.370

.539

.909

DL

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

Josh Vitters

A+

88

8

0

10

1

2

9

.227

.253

.307

.560

Last 10

A+

43

4

0

4

1

1

5

.233

Former features Nolan Reimold, Andrew McCutchen, Josh Whitesell and Kyle Blanks have moved on to the majors.

Featured Add – Pitcher

Aaron Poreda, SP, SD, Age 22, Double-A

IP

ERA

WHIP

HR

BB

K

2009 AA

64.1

2.38

1.27

1

35

69

2009 AAA

10.0

3.60

1.10

0

3

9

July 30

6.0

1.50

1.00

0

1

6

After being rebuffed by Jake Peavy earlier in the season, the White Sox were able to convince the San Diego ace to waive his no-trade clause and come to Chicago. Of course, acquiring a player of Peavy’s caliber doesn’t come without a steep price; in this trade, the top prospect surrendered was Poreda. He’s a groundball pitcher than strikes out a lot of people with a great fastball. Pitching in the NL West and in Petco Park, he’s likely to post some great fantasy seasons in the near future. I added him in my dynasty league immediately, as I think he’ll be up by the beginning of 2010 and be an every-week fantasy starter by mid-season.

Pitcher Performance Review (as of 8/3/09)

IP

ERA

WHIP

HR

BB

K

Michael Bowden

AAA

100.1

2.96

1.15

11

35

70

July 30

AAA

7.0

1.29

0.86

0

0

6

Jake Arrieta

AAA

56.2

4.92

1.48

7

20

53

Aug 3

AAA

5.0

7.20

2.00

0

2

4

Carlos Carrasco

AAA

120.0

5.25

1.38

15

39

118

July 31

AAA

5.1

6.75

1.69

1

1

6

Jeremy Hellickson

AAA

12.0

1.50

1.08

0

5

10

July 30

AAA

6.0

0.00

0.83

0

2

4

Hector Rondon

AAA

29.0

2.79

1.17

2

6

31

Aug 2

AAA

6.0

3.00

1.00

1

2

7

Junichi Tazawa

AAA

11.1

2.38

0.71

0

1

6

Aug 2

AAA

5.1

3.38

0.94

0

1

3

IP

ERA

WHIP

HR

BB

K

Brian Matusz

AA

46.1

1.55

0.91

2

11

46

Aug 1

AA

1.0

0.00

2.00

0

1

1

Madison Bumgarner

AA

76.0

2.01

1.07

5

21

54

Aug 1

AA

5.0

3.60

1.60

1

1

2

Kyle Drabek

AA

73.2

3.42

1.22

7

22

54

Aug 1

AA

6.0

7.50

1.50

3

3

5

Jarrod Parker

AA

78.1

3.68

1.48

2

34

74

July 30

AA

4.0

11.25

2.25

2

1

5

Jeanmar Gomez

AA

99.0

3.27

1.18

7

29

87

Aug 2

AA

5.2

0.00

1.06

0

2

8

Former features Mat Latos, Scott Elbert, Jhoulys Chacin, Kris Medlen, Derek Holland, Chris Tillman, and Tommy Hanson have moved on to the majors.

We’re taking questions at fbcmailbag@gmail.com, so send any you have along. I’ll see you back here next week.

R.J. White is a fantasy blogger at the sports site FanHouse. Check out his work both here and there, and feel free to talk to him in the forums, where he posts under the name daullaz.